Apple just had its Far Out event and there was a lot to unpack! (Pun not intended.) We got four new iPhones at this event. The iPhone 14 would serve as the vehicle for Apple to launch the iPhone 14 Plus. In this way, people can get an iPhone with a bigger screen without paying more money to get the Pro Max model. Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would introduce new features to the iPhone such as always-on displays and a new 48MP main camera. After showing off all the new features, Apple showed off a slide with its 2022 iPhone lineup.
The removal of the iPhone 11, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max is pretty much a standard affair. It’s quite surprising that we don’t have the iPhone 12 mini in the lineup, but that’s probably because the iPhone SE 2022 is in the lineup starting at $429.
I’m here to guide you through this whole lineup and help you decide which iPhone is right for you.
DISCLAIMER: This guide only includes iPhones that are available in Apple’s Online Store. Yes, you may have seen promos for older iPhones from telcos and Apple resellers in the Philippines. Those are not included but by all means, include them in your phone-buying decision.
2022 iPhone Lineup
iPhone SE (2022) | iPhone 12 | iPhone 13 mini/iPhone 13 | iPhone 14/iPhone 14 Plus | iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max
iPhone SE (2022)
Price (US / PH)
$429 / P30,990 (64GB), $479 / P33,990 (128GB), $579 / P40,990 (256GB)
Available Colors: Midnight, Starlight, (PRODUCT)RED
Notable Specs:
4.7-inch display, A15 Bionic chip, 4GB RAM, 5G support, Home button with Touch ID, Haptic Touch, glass design, wireless charging
Unlike its predecessor, the iPhone SE (2022) doesn’t have a lot of major updates. It still maintains the body of an iPhone 8, while bringing 5G support and the A15 Bionic chip to a more affordable iPhone.
Who is this for? If you (or someone you know) still value the classic iPhone design with the home button, then this is your only option. Maybe if you prefer Touch ID over Face ID, this is also the only option.
iPhone 12
Price (US / PH)
$599 / P42,990 (64GB), $649 / P45,990 (128GB), $749 / P52,990 (256GB)
Available Colors: Black, White, (PRODUCT)RED, Green, Blue, Purple
Notable Specs
- A14 Bionic chip, 4GB RAM
- 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR Display
- 12MP TrueDepth front camera system
- Dual rear cameras: 12MP wide with f/1.6 aperture and 12MP ultra-wide with f/2.4 aperture
- Ceramic Shield front glass
- Aluminum frame and glass back
- MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W
- Comes with Lightning to USB-C cable
The iPhone 12 is well known for being the first generation of iPhone to introduce 5G support. It also represented a return to having flat sides and the introduction of Ceramic Shield, which brings better shatter resistance. Unfortunately, this happened to be the year that Apple removed the charger from the box.
Who is this for?
If I had to pick the iPhone to avoid, it would be this one. The iPhone 13 is still in the lineup and it has better battery life to handle your 5G internet usage.
iPhone 13 / iPhone 13 mini
Price (US / PH)
iPhone 13 mini – $599 / P42,990 (128GB), $699 / P49,990 (256GB), $899 / P61,990 (512GB)
iPhone 13 – $699 / P49,990 (128GB), $799 / P56,990 (256GB), $999 / P68,990 (512GB)
Available Colors: Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, Green, (PRODUCT)RED
Notable Specs
- A15 Bionic chip (with 4-core GPU)
- 4GB RAM
- 5.4-inch (13 mini) or 6.1-inch (13) Super Retina XDR Display
- 12MP TrueDepth front camera system
- Dual rear cameras: 12MP wide with f/1.6 aperture and 12MP ultra-wide with f/2.4 aperture
- Ceramic Shield front glass
- Aluminum frame and glass back
- MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W
- Comes with Lightning to USB-C cable
The iPhone 13 mini is the last mini currently available in the lineup. Due to it having poor sales, we don’t get a new mini in the lineup. The standout feature of both the 13 and 13 mini is having significantly better battery life than their predecessors. These phones also feature the diagonal layout for the rear cameras since the main camera has a larger sensor compared to their predecessors’ main camera.
Who is this for?
The iPhone 13 mini is the best option for those who want smaller phones. Meanwhile, the iPhone 13 is still the best option for most people. The updates found in the regular iPhone 14 isn’t really that enticing enough for me to recommend it over the iPhone 13. This, of course, depends on how better the battery life and camera upgrades are.
iPhone 14 / iPhone 14 Plus
Price (US / PH)
iPhone 14 – $799 / P56,990 (128GB), $899 / P63,990 (256GB), $1,099 / P75,990 (512GB)
iPhone 14 Plus – $899 / P63,990 (128GB), $999 / P70,990 (256GB), $1,199 / P82,990 (512GB)
Available Colors: Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, (PRODUCT)RED
Notable Specs
- A15 Bionic chip (with 5-core GPU)
- 6GB RAM
- 6.1-inch (14) or 6.7-inch (14 Plus) Super Retina XDR Display
- 12MP TrueDepth front camera system with f/1.9 aperture and Autofocus
- Dual rear cameras: 12MP wide with f/1.5 aperture and 12MP ultra-wide with f/2.4 aperture
- Photonic Engine
- Ceramic Shield front glass
- Aluminum frame and glass back
- MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W
- Comes with Lightning to USB-C cable
The iPhone 14 is the single most uninteresting release that Apple made in a long time. Besides the camera upgrade, there isn’t really much other than using the 5-core GPU variant of the A15 Bionic chip. If anything, this allows Apple to offer a 6.7-inch iPhone without spending more for the 14 Pro Max. The obvious benefits of the iPhone 14 Plus are its bigger screen and bigger battery.
Who is this for?
The iPhone 14 is basically for someone who’s on an annual upgrade program and it wouldn’t really cost a lot more to move to that phone. If you’re looking for a bigger iPhone but don’t really care for the extra features, the iPhone 14 Plus is the one for you. Out of all the phones in this 2022 iPhone lineup, I feel like the 14 Plus will really sell well.
iPhone 14 Pro / iPhone 14 Pro Max
Price (US / PH)
iPhone 14 Pro – $999 / P70,990 (128GB), $1,099 / P77,990 (256GB), $1,299 / P89,990 (512GB), $1,499 / P102,990 (1TB)
iPhone 14 Pro Max – $1,099 / P77,990 (128GB), $1,199 / P84,990 (256GB), $1,399 / P96,990 (512GB), $1,599 / P109,990 (1TB)
Available Colors: Deep Purple, Space Black, Silver, Gold
Notable Specs
- A16 Bionic chip
- 6GB RAM
- 6.1-inch (14 Pro) or 6.7-inch (14 Pro Max) Super Retina XDR Display
- Up to 2,000 nits outdoor peak brightness, Always-on Display support
- Dynamic Island pill-shaped cutout
- 12MP TrueDepth front camera system with f/1.9 aperture and Autofocus
- Triple rear cameras: 48MP wide with f/1.78 aperture, 12MP telephoto with f/2.8 aperture and 3x optical zoom, and 12MP ultra-wide with f/2.2 aperture
- Photonic Engine
- Ceramic Shield front glass
- Stainless steel frame and frosted glass back
- MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W
- Comes with Lightning to USB-C cable
The iPhone 14 Pro is the star of the current iPhone lineup. Whether it’s the significant camera upgrade, the Always-on Display, or the new Dynamic Island pill-shaped cutout, Apple pretty much put all of the best stuff for the iPhone here. The A16 Bionic chip brings the efficiency brought about by the 4-nanometer process. Here’s hoping that all of these improvements contribute to better battery life and better photos.
Who is this for?
If you want the best that Apple has to offer, then these are the phones for you. It all depends on how big you want your phone to be. You get better portability and one-handed use with the iPhone 14 Pro. Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro Max gets you the best iPhone experience with a bigger display and a bigger battery. You really can’t go wrong with either of these.
My General Recommendation
If you own any of the older iPhones in this lineup, there’s no need to upgrade at all unless you want either of the Pro models. Both Dynamic Island and the upgraded cameras are great reasons to get either the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max. Another
For the small phone fans out there, your only option is the iPhone 13 mini. I don’t see Apple putting out another mini anytime soon unless there is an iPhone SE based on a mini iPhone. When it comes to most people, I recommend that you get an iPhone 13. Especially at its lower starting price of P49,990, it really has most of what you’re looking for in an iPhone.
That’s it for my 2022 iPhone lineup guide! Are you looking to get an iPhone or upgrade to a new one? Sound off in the comments!
